van dorn



Jan'. 27, 1931. H. E. VAN DoRN 1,790,291

l CONTROLLER FOR CAR COUPLER AND ELECTRIC CIRCUITS Y Filed Nov. 2'1. 1927v `2 sheets-sheet 1 Illlml Il Jan. 27, 1931. H. E. vAl\fDoRN 1,790,291r

CONTROLLER FCR CAR COU'PLER ANDELECTRIC CIRCUITS Filed Nov. 21, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vIInInsniarn.van D oRN, or

Patented Jan. 27, 1931 i UNITED; As'mras* Orl-Ice Donn,

CONTROLLER Foru CAR COUrLEn ANDVELECTRIC CIRCUITS 'i Application mea November a1, Y1927. 'serial 1101234333.

i' `In the modern type of electric cars operated in trains, the air lines and the electric train lines are automatically coupled vwith the mechanical couplingof/the cars. The

.electrical connections aremade by means of electric couplers carried by thecar couplers and provided with contact pieces adapted to engage with `cooperating elements on a companion coupler when two cars are brought to-` gether, :It "is desirable that the contactszin the electricfc'ouplers be dead except duringV the time the cars are coupled together. r

The object of the present invention isto provide means for insuringenergization of the contacts in `an electric coupler when two cars are coupled together and vtheir deenergizationat all other/times. 1

Meansgare commonly provided forautop matically uncoupling cars from points with-V Ain thefcarsf further object ofthe Apresent invention isto control theenergization ofthe contacts in an electric coupler through the.

is engaged bythe inner end of the sliding concontrolling mechanism for 'uncoupling In carrying out my invention, I provide the switch that controls the iow of current to the electric coupler with a spring or other means that tends constantly to open it,and power closing means that can becomeeective only upon the coupling of two cars. c

FA further object of the present invention Y.

is to provide means for preventing'the operation of the powermeans to eiectV an un coupling until'the switch closing means has been rendered ineiiective.l

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the Vfollowing ydetailed description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein :l p

Figure l is a schematic representation of those parts of a car equipmentnecessary for understanding my invention; Figs. 2, 3 and l are respectively a top view, a' front view and a rear view of a master controlling valve for the system; Fig. 5 is a section taken approXi- Y mately on line 5,-5 of Fig. 4:; Fig. 6 isa section vtaken approximately on lineG- of Fig.

5; 7 is asectiontaken,approximately on line of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is aview ofthe interlocking cams illustrated in Fig.` 7, showingthem in' different positions than in F ig.Vv

7; and Fig. is a-section through a fragment of one4 of the air vcouplers carried by the car coupler. y

Referring to Figs. 1 and 9 of the drawings,

1 represents a car coupler of the automaticV type' having' an aircylinder 2 for uncoupling the same. 3 isa train pipe terminating in an automatic "coupling device mounted on the car coupler. The air couplingdevice comprises a conduit section t lined to the car coupler, and a sliding conduit section 5 that cooperates with asimilar element on a companion coupler in the act of coupling. The present invention is not concerned with the details of the air coupling means, and it will thereforebe su- `cient tov say that there is in the stationary conduit section 4 an outwardly seating spring pressed valve '6 provided with aV stem 7 that duit section when the latter is pushed back in is fa pipe 8 connected to the conduit section 4 voutwardly from the valve. Therefore no air can enter the pipe 8`when the valve is' closed, Y namely when cars are not in coupled relationv to each other; but, when two cars are brought together and coupled, so that the valve 6 is opened, air enters the pipeS from the train pipe 3. Air supplied by the pipe 8 is utilized toiefect the operation of the uncoupling mechanism and the-closing of the switch in the conductors leading tothe electric coupler. Y The rear end of the electric coupler is therefor at 10; 11 is an aircylinder contain- A ing a pisto'nwhose stem 12 serves to close the switchV whenair is introduced into the cylinder. Normally the switchis heldopen by a lindicated lat 9, and the controlling switch and each of the other chambers is a plug valve,

these being indicatedat 2O and 21. Suitable` ports and passages are provided so that each of the chambers 18 and 19 may be placed in communication with the chamber 17 or shut ofi therefrom. The parts are so proportioned"- and arranged that when the valves are turned ninety degrees from theVV positions in which they connect the chamber 17 withthe. chambers 18 and 19 they vent the chambers 18t and 19 through suitable ports 22 and 23 respectively, leading to atmosphere.

It will thus be seenthat air may be admitted'f'rom the pipes 8 to the uncou ling cylinder and to the switch cylinder. owever, the pipe 8 is not supplied with air, that is com pressed air, except when two cars are couL pledtogether, Therefore, when the car coupler is not coupled to a companion coupler, the spring in the switch cylinder is free to operate the switch so as to open the same, or to hold it open if it is already open. Then a plurality of cars areA coupled together, allof the pipes corresponding to the pipes 8, eX- cept those'associated with a coupler at each end of the-train,will receive` air, so that the switches and the uncoupling mechanism corresponding to those couplers that are in coupled'frelation to each other may be operated.

The two valve elements in the master valve should be interloclied to insure that the. system will always function in the manner desired. As heretofore explained, each plug valve in one position vents the cylinder controlled by it' to atmosphere while, in another position, ninety degrees removed, it connects that cylinder to the supply pipe 8. Each valve is provided with an operating handle, as indicated at 24 and 25, respectively, adapted to swing through an angle of ninety degrees, corresponding to the necessary movements of the plug valves. The air pipes enter the valvecasing' from the rear and the valve stems 26 and 27 project out throughthe front wall of the mainportion of the casing. This front wall is hollowed out on'the outer side to provide a chamber 28. llithin this chamber are located two interlocking' plates 29 and 30 mounted on the valve stems 26 and 27, respectively, so as to be rotatable with the latter. The plate 29 is L-shaped, being mounted on the valve stem at the juncture of the-two arms. The plate 30 isin the form of a disc having two-.peripheral notches 31 and 32, forming arcsstruck about the center of the stem 26 when these notches lie directly opposite the stem. The radius ci' the notch'31 is greater than that of the notch 32 and is approximately equal to or slightly greater than the radius of the curved end of the arm 33 ofthe plate 29. The arm 34 of the member 29 is longer than the arm 33. Consequently the arm 33 will be free to swing in the notch 31 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 8; but the arm 34 istoo long to swing through either notch. However,- the marginali portion of V,the member 30, on the underside and along the notch 32, is cut away, and the outer end ot" thearm 34isalso-cut away alongthe top to formalip 35 that will ride underneath the lip on the member 30 when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 7 the main portionot the arm beingshort enough to pass through the notch 32.

lVhen the handles 24 and: 25A arev in the position.` shown in-ull lines in the drawings',- thevalves. and the interlocking. plateslare in the` position shown inf Figs.: 5, 6` and 7. Namely, the port 36 in the valve 20 places the chamber 18 andy therefore the pipe 14m-com.-

munication with atmosphere through: the: port.22, so 4that the unlocking'cylinder on the car' coupler is free from pressure. At the Sametime theport37 in the valve 21 places the. chambers 19 and 17, and: therefore the pipes 15.l and 8' in communicationfwithreach other. Assuming that the car coupler isnot coupled to` another coupler,.there will heno pressure in the pipe- 8, as this pipe is-venting through. the open end of the slidable conduit section 5 of the air couplingdevice. Asa ref sult,.there will be no pressure in the'switch cylinder and the-switch. will be held openf bythe spring. then twocarsv arecoupled together, air is automatically supplied tofthe pipe 8,- as heretofore explained, and therefore air willfpass-from thispipe through the master valve and' to the switch cylinder so asto close. the switch.; pressure being` main.- tained in thev switch cylinder as long as the cars are coupled.

During: this .time the switch controlling valvexand the uncoupling valve are interlockedasshown:` in Fig. 7, so that theformer cannot. beY operated, whereas A the uncoupling. valve'may be tur-ned through an angle. of forty-iive degrees, Vini the clockwise i direction as viewed in Fig. 7. Wrhen. it is desired to uncouple, thehandle 244sswung. up asfar asit willige, namely forty-live degrees, `to the. position shown in dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4. This bringslthe` locking plate 29 into. the position shown in Fig. 8,: but does not permit.

air to pass into the uncoupling cylinder..

Thereupon the handle 25imay be swung down from the ullline position asshownin Figs. 3 and 4, to the dotted line position shown in these-figures, bringing the` plate 30- into the position'shown-in Fig..8. The switch valve 21 has now heenswung4 through an angle ot ninety degrees in the countercloekw-ise direction as viewed inr Fig. 6, andA therefore the chamber 19 and consequently. the pipe 15 in` the switchV cylinder, are ventedto atmosllO phere through the port 23. Therefore, because of the venting of the Vswitch cylinder, the switch is permitted to open beforeair can be admitted to the uncoupling cylinder. After the condition just explainedv has been brought about, the uncoupling valve may be turned through a further angle of fortyerive degrees, the arm .33 of the interlocking plate 29 swinging through the slot 31 in the plate 30 duringthis movement of the valve. Vhen the uncoupling valve is turned forty-five degrecs the second time it causes the passage 36 to place the chambery 18 and therefore the pipe 14 in communication with the chamber 17, so that air ows from the pipe 8, through the master valve, and into the uncoupling cylinder. When the cars are drawn apart, after being uncoupled, the valve 6 in tlietrain line closes, so'that the pipe 8 vents to atmospliere through the open end of the sliding conduit section 5 on the coupler, and the air is therefore exhausted from the uncoupling cylinder-` j j Y As a protective measure, the master valve should bel locked against tampering by an` unauthorized person. VThe common method of protecting controlling devices is to'make their handles removable.- On Vaccount of the interlocking elements between the two valves in the master valve, it is suiiicient that one of the handles be removable. while the handle 25 is made a permanent part of the master valve, thehandle 24 is detachable. In the arrangement shown, the chamber 28 on thefront` side of the valve casing is closed by'a cover plate 40. The wall 41 bounding the upper side of the'chamber 28, and one of the end walls 42 are made comparatively thick and are so shaped as to provide between them and the cover plate a narrow slot 43 through which the handle 24 may be inserted. In one end of this handle is a notch 44 to receive the projecting square or rectangular end of the valve stem 26. The handle is provided with a laterally-projecting pin 45, as best shown in Fig. 5, adapted to ride in a curved groove 46 in the front face of the walls 41 and 42, to prevent accidental withdrawal of the handle. Near the lower end of the groove is a lateral branch 47 leading to the outside. `When the handle 24 is in the position shown vin full lines in Fig. 4 and in dotted lines in Fig. 7 the pin is cpposite the notch or branch, groove 47, and the handle may be withdrawn lengthwise. The interlocking of the handle 24 with the casing has the further function of preventing the removal of the handle except when the uncoupling valve is in a position tovent the uncoupling cylinder to atmosphere, thus preventing air from being admitted to the uncoupling cylinder when the cars areV coupled and air automatically supplied to the chamber 17 in the master valve casing. v

After the cars have been uncoupled and To this end,

the trainman desires to :remove the detach` able handle,vit^is.r`st necessary fory him'to .return the handle 24 tothe position shown in Y full lines in Figs. 4 and 5 andi-in dotted lines in Fig. 7. "However, in returning the handle to-this positionhe must also return the other handle from the dottedline position in Fig. 4to thefull line position inthat figure. That this follows will be clear from the `inspection of Fig. 8. The uncoupling, j.. handle 24 cannot be swung in the counter-v clockwise directiony from lthe position shown in Fig. 8 without first turning the handle 25 and the'lockingdisc30V in the counterclockwise direction through an angle of ninety degrees, since Vthe ,lip strikes-against the edge of the plate 30,7i`n the Vposition shown. After the .valves have been brought into the position shown in projecting up and the handle24 removed,

the handle25 is locked against movementr untilv the handle 24 is again inserted and Figr, with the handle25 swung up through 'an angle of forty-ive deV f grecs.

In order-.to insure that neither of the two controlling handles will be swung throughi an angle ofmore than ninety degrees, I prefer to make the slot 48 approximately ninety degrees long, Vthus limiting vthe swinging movements of the handle 24; and to provide 5,

the cover plate of the casing with stationary lugs 48 and 49 lying in the path of travel of pling of cars; whereby the switch is caused j to open before uncoupling is possible; and

whereby the master controller may be left Ain a safe condition by the removal of a single handle. It will also be seen that while I guard against uncoupling while the contacts u in the electric coupler are alive, means are provided for permitting the electric switch to be operated at will. For this purpose it is only necessary to swing the uncoupling handle up forty-live degrees toits intermediate position, bringing the interlocking plates or cams into the positions shown in Fig. 8; whereupon the controlling valve for the switch is l-eft free to move from either limit to the other. cause it may at times be necessary to inspect an electric coupler while cars are coupled, and it is not desirable that the contacts in This `is important bea the electric coupler be energized at such V times.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form ofmy invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described but intend to cover all forms `and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention Constituting the appended claims.

I claim l. In .a Vcontroller, ya valve easing, two plug valves mounted in said easing -with their long axes parallel, and an interlock arranged between said valves to permit one of the valves to be operated freely when ithe second valve is in a neutral position and prevent the operation of the first `valve when the second valve is at either limit of its movement. y

2. In a controller, a valve Casing, tWo plug valves mounted in said Casing with their long axes parallel, an interlock arranged between said valves'to permit one of the valves to be operated freely when the second valve is in a neutral position and prevent the operation of the lirst valve when the second valve is at either limit of its movement, and operating handles for said valves, the handle for said second valve beingdetachable and being interlocked with the casing to `permit its removal only When its `valve is at one limit of its movement.

In testimony whereof, I sign this speeiieation.

HERBERT E. VAN DOR-N.

'meneer 

